


Protecting Miss Fisher

by acrazyobsession



Category: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bodyguard, F/M, london 1920
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:21:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23202409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acrazyobsession/pseuds/acrazyobsession
Summary: While guarding the family of a Baron who conned the wrong man, Jack Robinson butts heads with one Phryne Fisher.
Relationships: Phryne Fisher/Jack Robinson
Comments: 88
Kudos: 151





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> "M" rating is for a later chapter. This chapter is "G".  
> The title is kind of a homage to the movie _Driving Miss Daisy_. If you haven't seen the film, it is about an independent woman who ends up having accept help and be driven around by a chauffeur. After spending a lot of time together, they build a strong friendship. I couldn't help but think of that while writing the first couple chapters of this story.

~ **_Preface ~_ **

Glass shattered above them as another gun shot rang outーscreams echoing in the open ballroom. He covered her motionless body with his to protect her from any falling glass. His heart was racing and his breathing was quick. Images started creeping into his mind. Between the lifeless body beneath him and the blood that covered both of them, the flashbacks were not a surprise. He did not need to be distracted. He needed to act. Fast. Pulling her under the tableーthe long tablecloth hopefully helping them avoid detectionーa sharp pain ripped through his arm, but he ignored it. His fingers reached for her throat to check for a pulse, and he stifled a sigh of relief at the faint pounding.

This was not the way he had anticipated this weekend going.

~ **_Chapter 1 ~_**

Phryne Fisher paced back and forth across the Morning Room in a heated debate with her mother.

“I can handle myself. I don’t need someone to  _ protect  _ me.”

“You have always been so independent. Allow me this one maternal indulgence. I need to know that you will be safe.”

“I survived the battlefields, I can survive the streets of London.” 

“Please don’t remind me, darling. You know this is more than just about you. There are very dangerous men who have threatened our  _ family _ .”

“And whose fault is that? You make it sound so dramatic. Father conned the wrong man and now we are all in danger. Honestly, mother, I don’t understand why you have put up with him for this long. Where is he anyway? Hiding like a coward.”

“You will not speak to me that way, and you will not speak of your father in that manner. A man has been hired. He will be here tomorrow. Phryne. Please. Do it for your sister.”

Despite their differences, her mother did know that no amount of ordering would make her go along with the plan. However, her mother also knew that Janey was the most important person in the world to Phryne. 

“Really?”

“She is worried sick.”

“Only because you have been filling her head with all this nonsense about a threat.”

As much as she wanted to continue to argue and get her way, and as much as she blamed her mother for her sister’s current state of anxiety, she would go along with her mother’s guilt trip. She always would when it came to Janey.

“Fine.”

“Thank you.”

* ~ * ~ *

Jack Robinson stopped in front of the Fisher house. He was not thrilled about this job. He was more the “take action” type of personーchase the bad guysーnot someone who stood around waiting for them to find him. But he was desperate to get out of Europe, and this job would get him back home a lot quicker, so he had agreed.

One of two men hired, he had the privilege of watching over the house interior and accompanying the Fisher family on any necessary errands. The occupants currently being the Baron’s wife, Lady Richmond, and their two daughters. The Baron, Lord Richmond, was apparently not on the premises. He had heard some whispers about the family. They had arrived during the warーfrom Australia of all places. How exactly they came to the title wasn’t clear, but it didn’t take long for the Baron to use the title to his advantage. He had convinced some men to invest in a deal, but it had backfired when they found out he was scamming them. Now, the family was being threatened. 

And that was where he came in.

The large door opened, and the butler let him in. He was soon greeted by Lady Richmond and a pretty, fair-haired girlーyoung lady, actually.

“Mr. Robinson.”

“Madam.”

“This is my youngest daughterー”

She caught him by surprise as she stepped right up, a welcoming smile on her face, and held out her hand. He reciprocated and shook her hand.

“I’m Janey. Nice to meet you.”

It was very nice to hear the Australian accent, and her warm welcome made it impossible not to smile. This was not what he had been expecting.

“My other daughter will be down in a moment, Mr. Robinson. I feel compelled to warn you that she is not keen on this idea.”

“Basically, she is saying that Phryne is a handful.”

He didn’t have time to respond to either comment as a reprimanding voice came from the staircase. 

“Janey.”

“What? It’s the truth.”

“Girls. Honestly.”

As his eyes landed on the new addition to the room, he suddenly forgot to breathe. He could see the family resemblance, but with dark hair and the short cut, she made a striking presence. She was the most beautifulーstunningーwoman he had ever seen. And he got a feeling that she was going to be trouble.

“Mr. Robinson. This is my eldest daughter-”

“Miss Phryne Fisher.”

She stepped toward him and offered her hand. But unlike the younger sister, there was no welcoming smile or bounce to her step. He couldn’t tell what she was thinking.

* ~ * ~ *

She had been reluctant to agree to this, but her mother had played her cards. So for the moment, she would go along with it. She was sure she would easily be able to shake the unsuspecting foolーmost men underestimated her. She took her time getting ready with that thought in mind.

As she walked down the stairs, she heard her mother’s comment, and of course Janey’s inappropriate interjection. Her first glimpse of the man told her he was confidentーyounger and more attractive than she had anticipated. Maybe this would be fun. She caught a glimpse of a smile before his eyes shifted to her. They were dark. It had been far too long since she had shared her bed with someone, so she blamed the involuntary flutter in her belly on that. 

Dressed in a decent suit, he didn’t look much like a bodyguard. 

He had a firm handshake, and she added some more points, as well as for not cowering beneath the glare she was trying to give him.

“It is a pleasure to meet you all.”

Was that an Australian accent? He had just gotten all the more interesting.

“Are you from Australia?” Janey, of course, picked up on the accent as well, and the start of the peppering questions had begun. “We are as well! Were you here for the war?”

“Jane, don’t be impertinent. My apologies, Mr. Robinson.”

“I don’t mind the questions, but I do have a job to do. If I could take a look around?”

“I will give you the official tour, Mr. Robinson.”

Phryne watched her sister grab his hand and lead him out of the Hall. His shock lasted a split second before he masked it with a polite smile. She laughed internally. The poor man didn’t know what he had gotten himself into. 

* ~ * ~ *

Maybe the rumors about them were true. They didn’t seem like your typical aristocrats. He hadn’t expected to be greeted so warmly or have too much interaction with any of them at all. Miss Fisher’s response to him was more what he had expected from all of themーcertainly not the friendly conversation that Miss Jane had assumed as she was indeed giving him an official tour, rambling off dates and trivia about the house. She was a fascinating young woman.

“I have read all the books about this house….”

He listened to her continue on while he took in the layout of the houseーthe rooms, exits, staircases, and all the dark corners.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phryne is getting restless and makes a break for it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They say write what you want to read. Well, this chapter is the epitome of that. I needed this Jack and Phryne scene.

It had been three days, and Phryne was going out of her mind. Three days of sitting around reading, playing draughts, and listening to Janey play the piano一three days of hearing her mother have heated conversations with her father一three days of nothing to do but drink away the boredom. It was not good for her health. Mr. Robinson had firmly refused to allow anyone out of the house after dark, which was absolutely ridiculous. Not to mention, she wasn’t allowed to leave the house during the day without him accompanying her. 

She was now pacing in her bedroom一after dark一in desperate need of some loud music and dancing. When agreeing to accept protection, she had been sure that it would not last this long. The party was only a week away now. If he wouldn’t even let her leave the house unaccompanied, there was no way he was going to sanction an evening that would include her being surrounded by hundreds of people. 

Mr. Robinson had proven to be very observant and extremely difficult to crack. Her previous assumptions that she could sweet talk her way into a few outings had been met with stern eyes. Yes. She had noticed his smoky blue eyes and his impeccable bone structure. He was rather good looking _in the right light_ 一at least that was what she kept telling herself. But he had not been fooled by her charms. And part of her was turned on by the revelation.

Her pacing brought her once more to the large window. Her first floor window. Why hadn’t she thought of it before! She could easily slip out the window and get through the garden. It was late enough that Mr. Robinson wouldn’t be checking in on anyone, and sweet Janey would be fast asleep. Making a quick change, grabbing her coat, and slipping into her shoes, she made her escape.

* ~ * ~ *

Miss Jane had been attempting to learn a new song on the piano, and he was touched by her sister’s willingness to sit and listen. Because it was not good. But he had to applaud her persistence. He did his best to ignore the constant arguments, and had so far been treated very well by everyone. He had been ready for just about anything those first couple of days. Determining whether or not Miss Fisher was going to be the handful her mother一and sister一had warned him about. 

To his surprise it had been very quiet. However, Miss Fisher had seemed agitated this evening, and the look of a caged animal had started to flit across her eyes. So, he wasn’t at all surprised when he saw a figure crawl out of the window, sequins shimmering in the moonlight. 

“Not really the outfit I would have chosen for a stroll through the garden.”

“Fucking hell!”

He watched her jump, and if he hadn’t been so shocked to hear such words coming out of her mouth, he probably would have laughed. To her credit, she at least tried to look remorseful as she turned around. The moon cast shadows across her face and highlighted the angles of her hair and cheekbones.

“Miss Fisher.”

“Mr. Robinson.”

“Should I escort you back around to the door? Or would you prefer to crawl back in through the window?”

She challenged him with her eyes, and he wasn’t quite sure how she had taken his comment. There was just something about her that confused the hell out of him. Crawling through windows. Profanity. It didn’t fit with what he had seen so far. 

With a defiant stare, she sat on the sill of the opening, swung her feet around, stood up, turned around, and closed the two large windows.

“Lock it, please.”

She was very intriguing. 

* ~ * ~ *

She pulled the curtain closed in front of the window and tried to calm herself, but he had made her so angry. She had seen the smirk on his face even though he tried to hide it. 

“Or would you prefer to crawl back through the window?” she muttered his comment to herself. That way of escape was no longer an option. He would be keeping a closer eye on the garden now.

She shrugged out of her cloak and threw it over the chair before plopping herself down onto it as well. _How had he known?_ Did the man ever sleep?


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mrs Fisher, Janey, and Phryne head to the museum under watchful supervision of their bodyguard -- but not watchful enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another "G" rated chapter. There is smut coming, but until then, enjoy the foolishness!

“Are you going to the party with Phryne?”

“Party?” He tried to stay nonchalant, but this was the first time he was hearing about a party.

“She is very excited about it. Apparently, everyone will be there, but I’m not allowed to go. I don’t really care, though. I have better things to do.”

There was a bit of sadness behind her words that made him question how true that statement was. Though Jane was much more content to stay at home, she admired her sister and they seemed to always be together. But the more important part of her explanation was that of the party. 

“I wasn’t aware there was a party. But if the men haven’t been caught, she won’t be going.”

“She may have lulled you into thinking she will go along with these rules you’ve given us." She paused to give him a sympathetic grin before continuing, "But I can guarantee you, Jack. She isn’t going to miss that party.”

The younger sister wasn’t one for following directions either, as he had told her on several occasions to call him ‘Mr Robinson.’ Jane apparently didn't know about her sister's attempted escape the other night, but he did have to agree that Miss Fisher was not going to take the news well. 

“I think I can handle the situation, Miss Jane.” He had to at least put on an air of confidence.

“Of course.”

* ~ * ~ *

Phryne had determined that trying to escape from the house was out of the question. Mr Robinson was very good at his job, and since her first attempt he had been keeping a closer eye on the garden and on her movements. He somehow managed to do it without feeling overbearing, and she almost felt guilty for even thinking about trying again. But she was desperate for a “backdoor entrance” type of club. And with perfect timing, Janey had suggested a trip to the museum. Leave it to her to convince the stern man to let them out for the afternoon. Phryne always thought that she was good at getting men to do what she wanted, but when her sister put her mind to something, she was usually much better at it.

Much to her surprise, it wasn’t Mr Robinson that met them at the car. Instead, it was a slightly older gentleman with an even sterner face. _Did all bodyguards have the same expression?_

“Where’s Jack?”

The gentleman gave a disapproving look at Janey’s informal use of Mr Robinson’s name, but replied curtly.

“He won’t be joining us. I am Mr Doyle. I will be taking you to the museum today.”

Wasn’t this fortuitous? She would have much more luck slipping away from Mr Doyle. 

They had spent the last hour looking at gorgeous paintings and sculptures, but there was only so much art that Phryne could take. She had been keeping an eye out for any opportunity of escape, and though there weren’t too many crowds, it wouldn’t take too much to slip through a door. She knew the new guard wouldn’t leave her mother and sister if she disappearedーthey would be his priority. 

She slowly fell farther behind the three of them, pretending to pay attention to a painting on the wall. Mr Doyle turned his head at one of Janey’s gasps of delight and Phryne took the opportunity to slip out the doorway and walk as quickly as she could without drawing attention. She was familiar enough with London to have a route planned out, and the rear exit of the building was easy enough to find. With a triumphant smile on her face, she turned the last corner. And out stepped Jack Robinson.

* ~ * ~ *

Jack had been needed at the office to get an update on the case, so his shift was being covered by someone else. There had been no suspicious activity around the house, and no solid leads had come to light. So it looked like the family would be under protection for a little longer.

Instead of heading back to the house, he made his way to the museum. Doyle had a lot of experience, but he had a hunch that Miss Fisher might prove too much for the old man. So, he scoped out the building and determined the exit she would most likely take. It wasn't long before he saw her walk around the corner. She really was beautiful. It was the first time that he had seen a real smile on her face. But it soon disappeared as she caught sight of him. With a heavy sign, she continued to walk toward him. She was upset, but there was a hint of amusement there as well.

“Why am I not surprised? Did you purposefully put Mr Doyle in place today so you could secretly back him up?”

“It wasn’t intentional.” He momentarily stepped over to the help desk to have them deliver a message to his unfortunate stand-in. 

* ~ * ~ *

There was just something about him that made being caughtーyet againーmore amusing than frustrating. He stood near the exit, a hand casually slid into the pocket of his pants; the rise at the corner of his mouth told her he was also more amused than upset. She had spent much of the last few days focusing on how angry she was with her parents and on how much she just wanted to leave, that she hadn’t really taken the time to consider this man. 

She knew Janey had been spending a lot of time with him, and though she had observed them interacting on several occasions, she hadn't really paid attention. However, after seeing Mr Doyle ignore Janey's comments and seem annoyed by her constant chattering, Phryne couldn't help but realize how different Mr Robinson had responded to her. Janey was the most important person in the world to her, so she was touched as she thought back on how he had not only actively listened, but also participated in the conversation. It seemed he was also an avid reader and piano playerーthough as persuasive as Janey was, she had yet to break him down to play a piece for her.

Phryne’s thoughts were interrupted as he walked back over to her from the help desk. 

“Where is it that you want to go so badly?”

“Nowhere in particular. Just away from here. The fact that I was actually enjoying this little outing with my family is proof I have been locked up too long.”

“I understand. I am sorry that this is whatー”

“Do you really though? You don’t know anything about me, Mr Robinson.” There was an unintended bite to her words. She didn’t mean to take it out on him, but he was, at the moment, stopping her from getting away. And though Janey had probably relayed their whole family history to the man, she herself hadn’t had an actual conversation with him yet. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want this protection to begin with. But for the sake of Janey, I am playing along. It’s not your fault; you are just trying to do your job.”

“Your life is in danger, Miss Fisher.”

“Thanks to my father. I’m just not very good at staying in one place for long." She tried to read him, but he hid behind the half smile. “Would you please take me home.”

“Of course.”

“Would it be too much to ask if we could walk?”

“It would.”

“Of course,” she mimicked his phrasing with a smile on her face. There was a hint of a reaction across his face that he tried to hide by turning his head. She found the feeling that she had broken the stern expression a bit exhilarating, and she found herself wanting to do it more.

“I see that Janey calls you Jack.”

“That was not my idea.”

“I have no doubt.” Again, his eyes sparkled in response. “May I call you Jack?”

"If you must. It seems I am incapable of stopping either of you from doing anything.”

“I wouldn’t say that, Jack. You have stopped me from escaping twice now. And you can call me Phryne, if you want.”

* ~ * ~ *

To be honest, he hadn’t minded when Jane started calling him by his first nameーit was adorable and unassuming. But as it rolled off Miss Fisher’s lips, the reaction was physical. The cold shoulder she had been giving him had been enough of a distraction; there was no way he was going to survive this flirtatious side she had suddenly turned on. 

She was an enigma. One that he had spent more hours trying to figure out than he cared to admit. And there was no way he was going to call her Phryne. God help him.


	4. Chapter 4

Jack and Phryne arrived back at the house, the rest of the familyーalong with a rather perturbed Mr Doyleーmade an appearance not long after. While Jack had a heated conversation with Doyle, he could tell Mrs Fisher was having a similarly heated conversation with her eldest daughter. He was having a hard time comprehending the switch that seemed to have happened in Miss Fisher. It certainly wasn’t the first time a woman had flirted with him, but there was something different about her.

* ~ * ~ *

As Jack made his rounds of the house that evening, it seemed everything had settled downーthe trip to the museum having done the trick of providing a little excitement, even if it had included an unplanned escape attempt. Miss Jane was settled on the chaise with a book, and Mrs Fisher continued to work on what seemed like a never-ending needlepoint piece. Miss Fisher could usually be found on the upper balcony at this time of night. So that was where he headed next. 

As expected, she stood at the railing. He usually just walked by and continued his rounds, but tonight he needed to talk with her. Coming to stand beside her, he took in the view. The sun was setting over the city, its warm light glimmering off windows, and casting long shadows. He could see why she had chosen this spot.

She hadn’t moved to acknowledge his presence, and for a few moments he stood with her in the silence, taking in the view and thinking. Earlier she had accused him of not understanding her situation, but he did. Being stuck in Europe for this long was driving him crazy. All he wanted was to get home. So, he was sorry she had to go through thisーthat they all did. He was glad that he hadn’t had to meet the elusive Baron. How could a man put his family in such a dangerous situation. Fortunately, nothing had come of the threats. 

As the last of the light faded on the horizon, and she pulled the shawl tighter around her against the chilled air, he broke the silence. “Your sister told me about the party.” 

She didn’t respond right away, and he wondered what sort of argument she was compiling.

“Well...” 

Her voice was quiet, and he was about to lean in to hear when she turned to him. With her eyes sparkling and her smile charming, he wasn’t sure that he could deny her if she did decide to convince him. 

“I was figuring out how I could persuade you to let me go, but...”

“But you have finally realized it is pointless to try?” 

“I wouldn’t say that.”

It was like she knew her effect on himーknew she could turn on that charm and he would give in. 

“I may have tried to get out for a little fun, but that was harmless.”

“I don’t think it was harmless. You were putting yourself in danger.”

“We will agree to disagree.” She turned to rest her back against the railing. “But I do understand that being at such a public event would not be wise. Everyone expects me to be there. They would know that.” 

Though he did not care for her blasé attitude regarding her escape attempts, he was thankful that he wasn’t going to have to convince her that the party was a definite ‘no.’

“You seem relieved.”

“Of course I’m relieved. I thought I was going to have to lock you up for your own protection.”

“You wouldn’t!”

Her wide-eyed shock made it impossible to prevent the smile from stretching across his face or the snicker that rumbled in his throat. He was quickly realizing that it had been much easier to focus and do his job when she was giving him the cold shoulder. With this sudden change in temperature, it would be too easy to get wrapped up in that adorable face. 

“I will just get back to the rest of my rounds. Have a good night, Miss Fisher.”

“Same to you, Jack.”

* ~ * ~ *

Phryne had really hoped that the need for a bodyguard would be done by the weekend of the party, but it didn’t seem to be the case. This was an event she had been waiting for. The most exciting thing to happen in London each year. She hadn’t really taken time to think about how long the police investigation would last. And even if she had guessed it taking a couple weeks, she couldn’t have believed it would feel this long! 

She stood in her room, the dress for the party hanging off the side of the wardrobe. It was stunningーbought specifically for this event. An image of Jack in a tuxedo popped into her head, and she wondered what it would be like to arrive at the party on his arm. She didn’t really know where it had come from, but she couldn’t deny that there was an attraction. He was very different from other men she had spent time withーand honestly she hadn’t even spent a lot of time with him. But the way he got just a little bit nervous when she flirted with him earlier turned her on more than she would have expected.

She was startled by a light knock on the door. It was too late for her mother to still be up, and Janey hardly ever knocked! Wrapping her robe around her body a little tighter, she went and opened the door.

“Jack.” She stepped aside to give him room to enter, and she felt a flutter in her stomach as he almost shyly stepped in. He cast a quick look around the room, his eyes landing on the dressーthe light in the room catching the intricate beading causing it to sparkle.

Walking over to the dress, she ran a finger over the beading. “Beautiful isn't it? Too bad I won’t get to wear it.” 

“Actually. That’s why I’m here.”

She spun around to face him, studying his face. It gave nothing away. “Why?” 

“I just got off the phone with the police station, and they have a man in custody.”

“That’s wonderful. Does that mean thatー”

“You might be able to go to the party.”

“Jack!" Her hand landed on his arm; it was the best news she had heard in days. "You have no idea what this means to me.” 

She suddenly realized just how close they were. Both their breathing seemed to halt. Neither of them moved. 

He finally took a step back. 

“I hope it will all work out. I should have an update for you in the morning.”

And he was gone.

* ~ * ~ *

The next morning, Jack was excited to be able to tell the family the news that the police had gotten the right man. He was happy for them, and happy that he would be able to head back home soon; however, there was a part of him that was a little sad. He had felt a twinge of something for this woman, and it was a shame he wouldn’t be able to get to know her better. Something told him, he hadn’t even scratched the surface.

“Does that mean you are done working for us?” 

In all the excitement, Miss Jane was the only one who looked unhappy. He had truly enjoyed their conversation and her inquisitive mind. So a little more sadness flooded his heart as she rushed to give him a hug. He didn’t quite know what to do about it, but attempted to return the hug. 

“The police still have a few things to wrap up. So until they give the all-clear, I will still be around.”

Miss Fisher came to his rescue and pulled the girl into her arms. “And what does that mean for meーthe party?”

“You can go to the party, but will need some protection, just in case.” He drank in the pure joy that lit up her face.

“Will that be you?”

He couldn’t help but catch the slight bite of her lip and heaviness to her lids. With the family right there, he felt even more caught off guard, and struggled to lighten the air.

“Well Doyle certainly isn’t going to agree to escort you.”

It had the desired effect, and he couldn’t help but join in the laughter as Miss Jane had a jab at her sister, “I don’t blame him!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought this chapter was never going to come together. Too many distractions! That prelude teaser scene is coming up next, so stay tuned.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another "G" chapter. The "M" chapter is coming up next.   
> FYI - Italicized text shows a flashback

Glass shattered above them as another gun shot rang outーscreams echoing through the ballroom. He covered her body with his to protect the still form from any falling glass. His heart was racing and his breathing was quick. Between the lifeless body beneath him and the blood on his hands, the graphic images that were popping into his mind were not surprising. He did not need to be distracted. He needed to act fast. Pulling her under the tableーthe long tablecloth hopefully helping them avoid detection. A sharp pain shot through his arm, but he ignored it. His fingers reached for her throat to check for a pulse and he stifled a sigh of relief at the faint pounding. He had thrown her to the ground as the first gunshots rang out. She must have been knocked unconscious. 

This was not the way he had anticipated this evening going. 

_When he had gone to get ready, he discovered a tuxedo had been delivered to his room at some point during the day. He actually hadn’t thought about his attire_ ー _he had just assumed he would wear his regular suit as he didn’t expect to be part of the festivities. Apparently she had other ideas. Thoughts of seeing Miss Fisher in the dress he had gotten a glimpse of had taken up more of his time than he would care to admit. The fact that the tuxedo fit him perfectly should not have surprised him as much as it did. S_ _he had been eyeing him suspiciously the last couple of days. Now he knew why_ ー _or at least one reason why._

He quickly checked her over for any blood. There was nothing. Where was the blood coming from? Then his mind went back to his arm. Beneath the ripped jacket, he could see his dress shirt stained bright red. Something had hit him. He didn’t know if it had been flying glass or maybe even a bullet. 

He listened to the commotion trying to determine what was happening. The longer it continued, the chances of them being found increased. She started to stirーher eyes fluttering. He leaned over her and caught her attention with a finger over his mouth in a “sh” motion. Her breath quickening as he saw her taking in the blood on his hands and the underside of the table.

This was the last thing he needed. If she freaked out, she would expose their hiding place. But to his surprise, she seemed to take in the situation very quickly and get control of her breathing. Her eyes seemed to take in the blood and then take stock of her own body and then her eyes switched over to him, an eyebrow lifting questioningly. He pointed to his arm, but his attention was quickly taken back to the noise in the room as more shouting erupted. 

Police. Jack sighed in relief. 

He slowly crawled out of their hiding spot and held his hand out to help her up. He saw the blood staining the front of her gown and he cringed. 

“I’m so sorry.”

Her eyes followed his. “It’s fine. You need to get your arm looked at.”

“It’s fine.” Mimicking her phrase. He needed to get her out of here and back to the safety of the house.

* ~ * ~ *

On the drive home, her hands absentmindedly ran over the dried blood on her dress. The fact that her gown was ruined didn’t bother her, but the sight of the blood was making it difficult to breathe. And she could smell the gunpowder residue suck in her nose. She was good at putting on a front and she didn’t think he could tell that her heart was racing. She tried to remember what had happened. 

_She had arrived to the party on Jack’s arm much like her momentary fantasy. He had insisted on staying on the outskirts of the crowd touching base with her frequently. When she wasn’t with him, she felt his eyes on herーwhich honestly was his job, but at times when she met his gaze it was something more. The evening had been wonderful, but when she was finally able to convince the very reluctant Jack to dance with her, the atmosphere seemed to change. His arms around her, held her closer than was probably strictly professional. Her fingers crept up around the back of his neck as she breathed in the smell of his soap. Her mind was completely focused on each spot where their bodies touched, all of them tingling. She never wanted it to end._

_The jovial sounds of the ballroom came to a sudden halt as shots rang through the air. He acted quickly, and she had just seen a streak of people and she was pushed to the floor._

That was really the last thing she remembered before waking up underneath a table. Jack’s body pressed against hers, his blood covering the both of them. Waking to the smell of blood and screaming had taken her breath away and she felt her body stiffen just at the memory. Jack’s face had been so very close to hers, and the sight of him had helped her snap out of the dark place her mind had gone. When he had grabbed her hand to pull her out from under the table, the tingling sensation shot up her arm. It was a nice distraction.

* ~ * ~ *

She had remained silent on the ride to the house. He studied her from across the back seat wondering if she might be a little paler than usual. It was hard to tell. He had seen a lot of scared people in his life, and there had been a lot of scared people in that room. So he was surprised by how calm she had beenーshe had every right to be hysterical. Maybe she was just doing a good job of hiding it. But she had done little to hide her emotions the last few daysーwhether it was disdain or interest.

 _The urge to accept her plea to dance was strong, and he soon found that watching her dance and charm her way around the room was too much. So had given in. He slid his hand around her waist and pulled her close. Closer than he probably should have, but her smile made him very glad that in a few days he would no longer be working for her family. His desire to head back to Melbourne had slowly begun to dwindle_ ー _replaced with a very different desire. Her fingers were doing a little dance along the base of his neck, and the sensations were making it hard to breathe. The room may have been full of people, booming with laughter and music, but when he looked into her eyes it all faded away._

_The popping sound of gunshots split the air, and he dropped them both to the floor._

Even when the police had arrived, he had not been able to let his guard down, keeping himself between her and the rest of the room. However, it seemed the shooting had nothing to do with her family and everything to do with the amount of expensive jewelry that was in the room. 

The car finally arrived at the house, and he settled on the fact that they had been lucky enough to have escaped with nothing more than a ruined dress and a flesh wound.

“You should have let someone look at your arm.”

He opened the door to the house for her and let her walk through. “It’s fine.”

“That’s what you said earlier. But it was bleeding pretty heavily.” 

“Let me look at it.”

Gone was the blatant flirting. In its place was a woman whose voice was sternーher eyes filled with concern.

“Please. Let me look at it. It’s the least I can do.”

He didn’t honestly know what good it would do to have her look at it, but her blue eyes pleaded with him.

“Fine. If it will make you feel better.”

“Thank you. Come to the kitchen. I’ll get some bandages.”

She continued to surprise him. In the few jobs that he had taken in such houses, he would have been attended to by a maid, at the very most. And a lady in the kitchen was definitely never heard of. It really shouldn’t have surprised him as much as it didーthe Fishers were not like other high society families.

They arrived in the quiet kitchen. 

“Take your jacket and shirt off,” she called over her shoulder as she searched the cabinets for supplies.

He was intrigued by the tone of her voice. There was a calmness he still couldn’t believe she possessed after the evening she just had. But it was the air of authority that pushed him into action. As he tried to take the jacket off, the pain shot up his arm again. The bloody sleeve of his dress shirt had already dried and was stuck to his arm.

“Let me.”

She put down the bowl of water and strips of cloth. Her hands were steady as they worked on his arm, wiping away the dried blood and checking the cut for debris. The gentle caress of her fingers caused his heart to skip a few beats before it sped up. He could smell her perfume wafting in the air as she cleaned the wound.

“It looks like a bullet grazed you. It should be fine.”

How she knew what a bullet graze looked like, he didn’t know. But her delicate hands wrapped his arm and he got the impression she had done this before. He watched as her eyes stopped on a still red scar on his shoulder. Her fingers trailed over itーa familiar haunted look in her eyes was there for only a moment, before she quickly pulled away. 

“Sorry.” 

He placed his hand on her arm lightly just to hold her in place. Her eyes caught his, and he felt a slight shudder run through her. “Where did you learn how to do that?”

“Why? An aristocrat shouldn’t know how to take care of a wound?”

He had underestimated herーshe was good. The darkness in her eyes switched quickly to that of amusement as she responded flippantly. He always thought he was able to read people pretty well, but she had fooled him. She was putting on a show, and he had a feeling that not many people had caught a glimpse of what he had just witnessed.

* ~ * ~ *

He had caught her staring at what had obviously been a very painful gunshot wound to his shoulder. No wonder he hadn’t seemed bothered by the graze. He had seen much worse. He had been one of the lucky ones to have escaped with his life and with all appendages attached. No one in her family understood the horrors that she had seen, and she had never wanted to burden them with additional memories than they already had. So she had come back from Paris determined to act the nonchalant Baron’s daughterーall thoughts of the war pushed into a room of her mind that would not be disturbed. But tonight. Tonight, the door to that room had been opened wide. 

She went to pick up the stained towels, but his hand settled lightly on her arm. In his eyes she saw that his own memories were out in the glaring light as well. Her disguise quickly back in place though as he questioned her. That was her default these days and it was what she needed in order to keep it together long enough to make it to her room.

As she walked up the stairs to the main floor, his footsteps echoing behind her, she took a minute to pull her thoughts back to the present. At the top of the stairs, she turned to him. 

“Thank you. You probably saved my life.”

“Just doing my job.”

“Yes. Which I made even harder. Especially at the beginning. I’m sorry about that.” They silently exchanged uncomfortable, tired looks. “Well, good night.” She took a quick exit, distracting herself with thoughts of her blood-stained dress. The beaded detailing would make int nearly impossible to clean.She hoped her maid would be able to work her magic. She closed the door to her room. It would have to wait until tomorrow. 

As she undressed, her hand reached up to her head to feel the bump that had formed. She must have hit her head on the table or the floor. A long soak in the tub was what she desperately needed right now.

She had learned how to handle panic, act calmly in the face of catastrophes, and carry on like nothing had happened. The war had given her plenty of practice. However, heightened emotions, no matter how well handled, still usually led to a crash. And there had been many a night in her uncomfortable cot where she had cried herself to sleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess I have a thing for the fact that Phryne and Jack were both in the war, because this is the second fic I have written about it. If you don't mind some whump, check out my very first MFMM fic "Memories In Your Head," which focused on Phryne's flashbacks from "Death at Victoria Dock" (1x04). 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the "M" rated chapter. I hope you enjoy.

As he lay on the bed he had slept on for the last two weeks, his eyes followed the intricate patterns on the ceiling over and over hoping to distract himself. This would most likely be one of his last nights. He didn’t know how to feel about that. If you had asked him a week ago, he would have told you he couldn’t get out of this city fast enough. But now? Sure, he still longed for Melbourne, but he thought there might be something here for him. There was a lot of doubt there though. She was a client. And even if he had been flattered by her attentions, he had seen the way she flirted with the men at the party. He wasn’t the only one who had received those gazes. But the way she felt in his armsーthe way she had just melted. It felt so right. The other side of her that he had caught a glimpse of in the kitchenーthe pain. There was a connection.

His distraction technique obviously wasn’t working. Maybe a walk around would help. There was no longer any need to check the house, but it had been his evening routine since he got here, so maybe it would help. 

The halls were quiet, a sharp contrast to the memories in his head. Even just the few gunshots that had gone off tonight had been enough to bring them back. Men with guns and people diving into muddy trenches for cover. Dirty uniforms covered in blood. 

The cries were always the worst partーthey were what usually woke him. He shook his head to try and push them away. It took him a moment to realize that the cries in his mind were suddenly much more present. They were coming from down the hall. He didn’t even stop to knock when he came to her door.

The moon shown through the curtains and he could see her thrashing under the covers. He rushed over to wake her, tears streaming down her face. 

“Miss Fisher.” A fist nearly connected with his nose as he gently shook her.

“Phryne.”

She woke with a start, her eyes adjusting, searching the darkness. 

“You’re okay.” He wasn’t surprised that she had had a nightmare. They had had quite the ordeal. But putting all the pieces togetherーhow quickly she had assessed the situation and calmed herself, her ability to detect a gunshot wound, her skill at patching him upー he discerned that this was not just caused by what happened today. 

“The bloodーgunshotsーthe bodies.” Her voice wavered as her hands covered her face and her shoulders shook. 

“The war?” He saw her head nod as she gasped for breath. 

What had she been doing there?

She moved to sit up against the pillows. He gave her a minute as she caught her breath and wiped the tears away. 

“Ambulance Unit.” 

The haunted look in her eyes had returned, and his heart ached for her. He didn’t wish those types of memories on anyone. 

“It’s so hard to forget.” She leaned closer. “I just need to forget.” 

She gripped his shirt in her fists and leaned into him. Her lips landed on his and her tongue begged entrance. He was too shocked to respond right away, and she must have felt his hesitation because she released him promptly.

“I am so sorry.” 

Even with the remnants of tears staining her face, she was beautiful. And he knew he shouldn’t. He was here to protect her not prey on her weakness.  But she had felt so good in his arms and he couldn’t deny that she had sparked a desire deep inside him. 

“Don’t be.” He slid his hand up her neck to cup her cheek and pulled her back into him. This time he opened his mouth to her. He was just as desperate to forget.  _ Damn the job. _

Her hair was as soft as he had imagined and his fingers dove in to hold her to him. Their mouths crashing against each other as most of their attention was on taking each other’s clothes off. A moan escaped her lips as his hand slid the silk of her nightgown up her leg and brushed the apex of her thighs. His own body reacted at the sound, and a shiver ran through him as her hands pulled at the hem of his shirt. With her cool fingers gliding over his heated skin, he thought he would lose it before either of them was even naked. 

He was forced to remove his hands as he assisted in pulling off his shirt. He was finally free of his shirt and his hands were once again free to roam. She was so soft beneath his wandering hands, but suddenly she was pushing him away. 

“Pants! Off. Now.” Her voice was deep and panting. “I’ll be right back.”

* ~ * ~ * 

Where was her device!? She had hidden it from prying eyes which was most inconvenient at the moment. Her whole body was pulsing and already extremely sensitive, so slipping the device in took her longer than she would have liked. She didn’t really want to give her mind the chance to realize that this might be a bad idea.

Coming back into the bedroom, she watched as he slipped out of his underwear. Her eyes slowly trailed up his body, taking it all in, until they met his. It had been several months since she had felt this close to the edgeーsexually or emotionallyーand looking into eyes that understood was her undoing. 

She let him take her hand and pull her to him. This time his mouth was much more focused on hers, his tongue sliding over hers, his hands in her hair holding her close. Her arms hung at her sides, just letting him devour her. One hand slid down her neckーfeather light on her sensitive skinーand continued to trail across her collarbone, down between her breasts. The material of her nightgown offering little protection against the charge of his fingers. She whimpered against his mouth as his thumb grazed her nipple. 

“Jack.” She needed him so badly. Her hand reached out to touch him, but he grabbed her hand.

“If you touch me, this is going to be over quickly. Let me do this for you.” His words a mere whisper against her ear. His hands moved again to the hem of her nightgown and slid it up her body, his thumbs deliberately brushing over her nipples on his way up. 

She wore nothing under the shift, so when it joined his clothes on the floor, she stood naked before him. His eyes took her inーmuch as she had. Just his gaze was causing her whole body to vibrate, and when his mouth began following the trail that his fingers had just blazed across her chest, her eyes drifted closed and she felt herself sway. His hands held her steady at the hips as his mouth landed on her breast. The trail continued down her stomach as he dropped slowly to the floor. She bit her lip and dropped her head backーher fingers clenching his hair. 

_ Fuck _ . 

* ~ * ~ *

Her ragged breathing, and the occasional moan, was pushing him to the edge. The smell of her sex reached his nose and his cock pulsed in response. He nipped at her thigh causing her to whimper. 

“Jack.”

This exploration would have to continue later. He stood up and pushed her onto the bed. Her alabaster skin gleamed in the moonlight and he honestly didn’t think he had ever seen anything so beautiful. She stretched out on the bed, her legs falling to the sides as she arched back. He paused a moment as her hand slid down her bodyーher fingers reached her clit, and her head rolled back and she moaned, “Please, Jack.”

In an instant, he was cradled between her legs, his mouth back on hers. He felt her wrap herself around him, pulling him closer. He rose up positioned himself between her legs, his cock slid inside and she gasped into his mouth.

“Fuck.” His voice vibrated deep in his chest as his hand came up to hold her leg as he began to thrust. 

Her body moved with his. In and out. Hands digging into his back urged him on. His own hands gripped her bedsheets, her hips, her breast. It wasn’t slow. And it wasn’t soft.  It was a collision of equally tormented souls ー both having experienced too many tragedies and right now they were fighting to push the memories away. 

The heat spread through his whole body as he felt himself reaching release. Breathing deeply, and capturing her lips with his own, he made one final thrust. She shattered around him, and all he could feel was pure joy ー so deep that he could almost cry. All those pent up emotions released as he collapsed into her arms.

* ~ * ~ *

She let the spasms run through her body, feeling the reassuring weight of Jack’s body pressed against hers. The only sound was that of their breathing. Silence had never felt so calming.The realization of just how long it had been since she let someone see her ーsee the pain and the needーwashed over her.  Neither of them had been able to keep it slow or romantic. But in the end, it had been exactly what she needed. She had needed that connection.

His head rested in the crook of her neck, the curls unruly and tickling her chin. She ran her fingers through his hair. His heavy breathing was  evening out.  Warmth swelled through her chest and a smile spread across her face. But a ragged breath caught her off guard, and a tear slid down her cheek.

He shifted to lie on his side next to her, his eyes searching her face questioningly. Her fingers slid out of his hair and trailed down his neck.

“I’m fine. I justー” Her eyes closed to try and suppress the rest of the tears that were threatening to appear. She wasn’t usually one to cry, but here she was crying for the second time that evening. She felt his palm cup her cheek and wipe away the tear. 

“I know.” His lips brushed her forehead, and he repeated in a whisper, “I know.”

Her eyes drifted openーtaking in this beautiful man and his comforting smile. Her body responded to the sight, hips arching toward him.

He leaned down and kissed her. So slowly. His tongue sliding in and out of her mouth. A gasp escaped her mouth as she felt his hand slide down her body, fingers sliding into her wet center. She shuddered.

“This time we should do it slowly.” His voice was so low, his breath hot on her neck as he pressed light kisses on her pulse point.

Fuck  _ slow _ ! With the attention his fingers were giving her clit, she was already about to come undone. 

“Jack! That’s not slow.” Her voice breathless.

She writhed under his hand as the pleasure shot through her body.

“No?”

His hand left her heat to grip her hip.

“But that doesn’t mean that I wanted you to stop.”

“Make up your mind, Miss Fisher.”

Damn. He affected her like no one else ever had. “I want you.” 

Without warning, she pushed him off her and flipped him over. Now straddling his hips, she dipped down for a deep kiss. She felt his groan of pleasure rumble against her mouth and could feel his growing erection rubbing her thigh. In response to his teasing, she ground her hips against his groin.

“Phryne!” His hands clamped on her hips.

She tried not to, but a giggle escaped.

“I’m sorry.” 

“For the teasing or for laughing?” He mumbled between her kisses.

“Both. I’ll make it up to you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One chapter left!


	7. Chapter 7

The bed was much softer than he recalled it being in the past. He tried to open his eyes, but the sun coming through the window nearly blinded him. The sun didn’t usually rise on this side of the house! He squinted against it trying to get his bearings. It was at that point that something moved beside him. An arm stretched out across his chest and the warm body snuggled in closer.

“I forgot to close the curtains last night.”

Her voice was raspy and muffled against the blankets. With a hand shading his eyes, he managed to get a look at the beautiful figure attempting to sleep beside him. Her hair was tousled and the blanket draped over her bare shoulder.

“I’ll close it for you on my way out.” He didn’t want to disturb her or invade her space.

“No, stay. But yes, close the curtain.”

Her outstretched arm, along with her foot, moved to push him toward the edge of the bed. Apparently she was not a morning person. Something which he was not surprised to learn since he had never seen her at the breakfast table. He contemplated finding his smalls, but instead made a dash for the window and quickly closed the curtains. As he turned around, he saw a wicked grin appear on her face as she watched him walk back. Her arm was again stretched out, this time beckoning him back to her bed. He crawled back under the covers and she immediately curled up against his side.

“Thank you.”

Last night had been absolutely wonderful. Though it had started off a little frantic, it had ended with sweet love. However, the doubts from the previous night had only increased. Now that he had kissed herーmade love to herーhe didn’t think that he could leave her. Now he just needed to know how she felt. Or maybe he wouldn’t think about it right now.

The steady shallow breathing told him she had indeed fallen back to sleep. Her body felt so nice against his. 

* ~ * ~ *

She had woken before him this time, and it gave her the opportunity to examine his fine features. There was just the slightest bit of growth on his chin, his hair still unruly, and his lips opened just a little. Memories of where those lips had been sent a twinge to her core. He had certainly satisfied herーmore than once. But he would be leaving soon. Today or tomorrow most likely. Back to Melbourne. She knew that that was where he was headed, because Janey had gotten it out of him. It saddened her a little that he would be leaving, which was a feeling she didn’t quite know what to do about. Her last relationship had left her...hesitant, to say the least. But Jack had been giving and affectionate. And he understood. He didn’t need to ask questions. He just knew. 

“I thought I felt you staring at me.”

“You’re very nice to look at.” He was also very humble and her compliment made him squirm a little which was even more attractive. Her fingers danced over his chest and her leg tangled in his as she leaned up and placed a soft kiss on his lips. 

“I was glad you decided to stay.”

“I didn’t want to leave.”

His words rang in her ears and she locked eyes with hi m for just a moment. They both knew what he meant. 

She laid back next to him, and silence fell over both of them. She didn’t want to pressure him to stay. She didn’t even know what she wanted him to do! To wake up  every morning with this man in her bed certainly didn’t sound like a bad idea. But she didn’t know anything about him or what kind of life he had to go back to in Melbourne. Her fingers trailed over to his shoulder where the old wound she noticed earlier marred his skin.

“Does it still hurt?”

“Sometimes. The memories more so.” 

The change in subject didn’t help to clear the awkwardness. She opened up more to this man in the last 12 hours than she had to anyone else. And just that fact alone was enough to scare her away. It could all go terribly wrong. She could easily see herself falling in love with this man. And that was serious. She was not ready for seriousーshe had a whole world still to explore.

His hand reached up to cover her hand. “Phryne.” His voice was full of tenderness.

“I can’t. Jack. I can’t do this.” 

Throwing the blankets off, she crawled off the bed, grabbed her robe from the chair, and made her way to the en suite. Closing the door behind her, she collapsed against it. Once again finding herself crying. This had all changed so quickly. It had started off as harmless flirting. Then the partyー _ oh the party _ ーwhere he had seen more than she had intended to show anyone. But he hadn’t reacted the way she had anticipated. Just the opposite in fact. He helped her. Last night had started out as a way to comfort each other. But then it had turned into a whole other thing. 

And now here they were.

“Phryne.” 

The closeness of his voice startled her. He had moved to the other side of the door.

“I didn’t mean for it to sound...I’m not pressuring you. This has all happened so fast. I am still trying to process it myself. I need to go back home. But if you feel anything real for me.” 

He paused. 

She wiped the tears away and stood to face the door, her forehead pressed against it. Why was she fighting this? It was a challenge, and she never backed down from anything new. Her hand landed on the knob. She had been stuck in London for too long. Melbourne would be an adventure. Back home. Well. A better neighborhood than where she grew up.

“I just want you to know that this...this has meant something to me. I want you to be able to make a decision with all the information. And I don’t want to wish I had told you what I feel. I left home without telling the girl I loved how I felt, and she ended up marrying someone else. I won’t do that again.”

She slowly turned the knob and opened the door. He was in just his smalls, his arms spread, holding the door frame on both sides. As she stepped closer, he backed up slightly to give her space. 

“Do you need to go to Melbourne right now?” She saw him hesitate. “I don’t mean that you have to stay here. But instead of going straight home, go with me. See a little bit of the world.”

“I thought I was asking you to go with me?”

“Is that what you were doing?” 

The gleam in his eye and slight hitch in his mouth that he couldn’t control made her so happy. “I can’t promise anything. But I want to go on an adventure! See thingsーexperience things. And I would like to do that with you.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

He reached out and took her by the arm pulling her to him. His other hand grasped her head so he could kiss her solidly. She melted into him and wrapped her arms around him. 

“So, how are you with flying?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading! This has been a ride.


End file.
